Police can’t endlessly blame ‘Tory cuts’ for failures when they’re wasting time on social media

Lost the plod

HOME Secretary Sajid Javid should haul in police chiefs and tell them our cops have comprehensively lost the plot.

Endlessly blaming “Tory cuts”, forces have all but given up on investigating ­certain serious crimes which have life-changing consequences for victims.

Meanwhile they waste precious resources on perceived hate crimes, baseless probes into VIPs and — like so many others unable to resist showboating online — virtue-signalling stunts.

We are delighted that Wrighty got his ­stolen car back.

But it is obnoxious that six starstruck cops posed up with him for Instagram while nearby in North London a devastated burglary victim was abandoned to investigate it herself.

Crime and violence is soaring in the capital. Police should get off social media and rethink the basics of their job.

Wrecking crew

THE Government cannot remain paralysed by fear of its own rebel backbenchers.

Theresa May is rightly rethinking the convoluted customs union position her aides invented solely to appease these Remainers. But now she intends to delay all contentious Bills for months to avoid defeat at their hands.

It cannot go on. Time is running out. Every wasted day makes our position weaker and the EU’s stronger.

The PM must not buckle to Anna Soubry and other Tory Europhiles.

She must tell them that  they are jeopardising ­national stability and the very ­existence of their own Government.

And that it is THEM bringing Britain ever closer to chaos far worse than anything they fear a clean Brexit would inflict.

Grand IDea

YOU need ID to pick up a parcel, so why not for something as important as voting?

The fuss made by Labour yesterday as ID requirements were trialled in five areas was entirely self-interested. The party believes it will deter some of its natural vote.

But electoral fraud must be wiped out. Postal voting fraud is even more widespread and needs equally urgent action.

Voters yesterday had plenty of notice — and many forms of ID were acceptable.

Labour should stop whining about every attempt to improve our democracy. Cynics might suspect their motives.

Press in peril

THE free Press which underpins all ­civilised nations was rightly celebrated at World Press Freedom Day yesterday. But let’s not forget it’s getting LESS free here.

The same Lords lobbying to reverse Brexit also want to neuter newspapers using draconian new laws.

These unelected peers are a double threat to our democracy. Their time is up.